52 



THE COMMON, OR FIELD MAPLE. 



ACER CAMPESTRE. 



Natural Order ACERINE^E. 



Class OCTANDRIA. Order MONOGYNIA. 



THOUGH the tree last described is much larger and more 

 generally known than the present species, it has so long 

 universally borne the name of Sycamore, that the generic 

 name of " Maple " is now almost exclusively applied to 

 the smaller tree, the only species, in fact, which is in- 

 digenous to this country. Many persons probably are not 

 aware that the two trees belong to the same family; for if 

 we except the keys or clusters of winged seeds, they have 

 to the casual observer few points of resemblance. 



The Sycamore justly claims the right of being considered 

 a large tree : the circumference of its trunk is considerable ; 

 it frequently covers a wide space of ground with its spread- 

 ing limbs ; it casts a dense shade, and its leaves exceed 

 in size those of most of our common trees. But the Maple 

 rarely attains a size which entitles it to be considered a tree 

 at all ; its foliage is meagre and unpretending, while its 

 value in hedge-making induces its owners to preserve as 

 much as possible its character of an overgrown shrub. 

 Such, accordingly, we generally find it when it grows in 

 hedges, and when met with among other trees it is mostly 

 as underwood. Its leaves, like those of the Sycamore, are 

 five-lobed, but obtuse and much smaller. Its flowers 

 appear in April, about a fortnight before the leaves, and 

 abound in saccharine juice. They are similarly constructed 

 to those of the Sycamore, but grow in erect, instead of 

 drooping, clusters ; and the keys, which differ principally 

 in size from those of the other species, arc tinged with 

 red. Besides being indigenous to Britain, the Maple grows 



